Torture is Saying I Love You
by Abarai Starsha
Summary: A small Valentine's Day one shot.  No summary - just read it, it won't kill ya!


**AN: Here's a small Valentine one shot for you. I thought of this while working on the next chapter to my other story. I hope you like it. (I'm going on the American version of Valentines, not the Japanese Valentines / White Day combo…)**

**I do not own Bleach or it's characters. If only I did...  
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Torture Is Saying I Love You

By: Abarai Starsha

He paced back and forth in front of his desk and behind the couch where his Fukutaicho was liberally taking an afternoon nap. The short Taicho kept his pace, occasionally taking a glare or two at the small white box that sat on his desk. At this point he loathed it. He wanted to do nothing more at this point then to take Hyorinmaru and freeze the thing. He would take great satisfaction in watching the package explode into tiny ice shards.

"You're going to wear out the floor if you don't stop that pacing, Taicho," Matsumoto said.

"I thought you were asleep," he grumbled in reply.

"Sleep? Who can sleep around here with you pacing and grumbling," sighing she sat up. "Why don't you just take it to her already?"

"I can't," he painfully admitted. He stopped pacing and sat behind his desk. He stared hard at the small white box.

"You mean my fearless Taicho can't even – "

"MATSUMOMO!"

She sat back and giggled as he glared at her. Suddenly he smiled.

"Why don't you take it to her?" He asked, now grinning with his newly devised plan.

"No."

"No?"

"No."

"What do you mean no?" He asked as his smile was quickly fading.

"No is no, Taicho."

"I order you to take it to her!" He bellowed as his frown was now back in its place.

"No."

"Why not?"

"You know I will do anything for you. Anything, except this and you know why." She retorted.

"Hngh." He grumbled as he threw his head down on his desk. "Why is it I can slay any hollow, fight any Arrancar, go up against Aizen, yet I can't give this box away."

"Because if you do, and she accepts it, you will be on foreign ground. You need this. She needs this."

"What makes you think she'll accept?"

"Because I know her. I've seen the way she looks at you, the way she talks to you."

"This is a stupid human custom. I shouldn't even be doing this. I'm a Taicho of the Gotei 13 for crying out loud!"

"Yes, one who can't deliver a small box to a woman." He shot her another glare.

"Fine," he said standing up. He sighed and picked up the box. "I'm going."

"Ok, Taicho. Good luck!"

He was out of his office and turned right back around.

"What do you mean, 'Good luck'?"

"I mean good luck as in good luck. I hope she accepts."

"I thought you said she would?"

"She will now get going! There's not much left of the day and I'm sure others aren't taking as long as you."

"I hate human holidays." He said as he walked back out.

He walked entirely outside of his division before he turned back.

"Others?"

Matsumoto threw her hands in the air. "Taicho!"

"I just wanted to know what you meant by others?"

"Exactly that! She's a beautiful young Shinigami that anyone would be proud to court."

"C-c-court?" The look of fear started to take shape.

"Taicho! Get a hold of yourself!" She said as she leapt off the couch and placed her hands on his shoulders. She put her face in his and said firmly, "You can do this. You've been admiring her for a long long time. Decades! Don't you think it's about time to take the next step?"

"I guess."

"You planned this months ago and chose this very holiday to tell her."

"It was easier a few months ago!" He complained.

"GO! And I don't want to see you until you've given it to her and told her what you've been rehearsing for a month!" She said as she physically turned him around and shoved him out of his office. She locked the door behind him.

Finally he was beyond his division and half way to hers. He closed his eyes and concentrated. He felt her strong reiatsu at her division's training grounds. She was alone. Perfect.

He felt his heart pound with every step he took. He recited over and over again what he wanted to say, what he wanted to tell her. He hoped he would be able to deliver it without sounding like an idiot. Heck, he hoped he could deliver it.

As he neared her division, he started to second guess his present. Did women really like things like this? Somehow he didn't think so. But then she wasn't an ordinary woman or Shinigami. Rangiku said she would like it. She had Ichigo pick it out personally. Not that he liked that whole idea to begin with. He supposed he should be thankful that the orange haired idiot confessed to his Fukutaicho and not her. It was bad enough they shared some sort of deep bond. He was pretty sure she wasn't too happy when their news hit the Seireitei. But that was a long time ago.

Thump thud, thump thud, thump thud. His heart was beating faster. This is just stupid, he told himself. It's just Rukia. The same Rukia he talks to almost every day. The same Rukia he can tell anything to. The same Rukia he trains with. He caught a glimpse of her through the trees. Damn. The same Rukia he has fallen in love with.

He stood and watched while she trained. She was more than graceful. When she moved, her sword moved with her fluidly as if they were one. He could sit and watch her all day if he were allowed. The way the light hit her raven hair, the way her robes swished around her body as she moved. He was captivated and deep down he knew, no matter how much he practiced, he was going to screw this up. She had that power over him.

As her training drew to a close, he took a deep breath and walked up to her.

"Hey!"

"Hey yourself!" She grinned at him. Her smile lit up her face. When he didn't say anything she cocked her head slightly to the side. "Did you need something, Taicho?"

"What did I tell you about that?" He asked as he groaned at the same time.

Rukia giggled, "Ok. Is there something I can do for you, Toshiro?"

God he loved how his name rolled off of her tongue. The way she was looking at him, that one look she gave only to him. He savored every minute. He inwardly groaned. He was acting like a love sick child. As he tried to focus, he realized what he rehearsed was not going to be good enough. She would never accept this gift, she would never…

"Toshiro?" Her eyes showed concern as she moved towards him.

"Rukia…" shitshitshitshitshit. "You know the human world better than I do. I mean…" damndamndamndamn, "You've been there more times than I have and…" He put his hand through his hair. Why was this so hard?

"Is there an assignment? Do you need me to go to the Living world for something?" She asked, trying to help him get out whatever it was he was trying to get out.

"No, no. That's not it. I…" I'm a total idiot. "I know about some human holidays and I know you like to celebrate them." This is so fucking lame. What the hell am I saying? This is NOT what I rehearsed. This is NOT how it's supposed to go. "Here," he said as he presented her with the box. What the hell am I doing? Not like this, not like this, not like this.

Her eyebrows rose in surprise as she accepted it. She opened the box and took out a small crystal Chappy. She was about to tell him how much she loved it when she noticed the almost pained expression on his face.

"Toshiro, are you ok? You look like you're going to pass out."

Deep breath.

"Rukia, you've been my best friend for a long time now. You've given me insight on a lot of things, especially about myself. Somewhere along the line something changed. I've always had a hard time being around others. Everyone has just been so difference from me. You…you became a part of me.

"That year you were assigned to Hueco Mundo, I felt incomplete. With you by my side, I feel whole. What I'm trying to say…What I want to say…Rukia, I love you." As soon as his speech was over he felt his heart stop. He couldn't breathe. He watched her for any change of expression. Damn those Kuchiki expressionless faces. His head started to spin. He needed to breathe.

Their eyes locked. He was drowning.

"I love you, Toshiro," she whispered. He felt his heart start back up as the invisible clamp was released from his chest and he was able to breathe again. "I've loved you for a long time."

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. She laid her head on his shoulder as she slid her arms around his waist.

"You've loved me for a long time?" he asked as he buried his face in her hair.

"Yup. I would guess about the same time as you. I was beginning to wonder though seeing how long it took you to confess."

"So, I'm an idiot."

"Happy Valentine's Day, Toshiro."

"Happy Valentine's Day, Rukia." He whispered before he closed in for a kiss.

~FIN~


End file.
